Shakespeare gets made even bawdier by “Compleat Female Stage Beauty,” a rowdy comedy that plunks modern sensibilities down into 17th century London with often uproarious results.
Oklahoma City’s Carpenter Square Theatre charged out of the gate with its 26th season opener, producing an almost totally successful performance of “Stage Beauty,” which playwright Jeffrey Hatcher also adapted into a 2004 film starring Billy Crudup and Claire Danes.
Rooted in fact, but with artistic liberties taken at every turn, “Stage Beauty” is based on the diary of Samuel Pepys, a parliament member who chronicled many of the events of the English Restoration, a period in history where the arts began to be celebrated once again.
Enjoying the artistic explosion is Edward Kynaston (Sean Patrick Eckart), an actor who has excelled in playing the female roles in Shakespeare’s plays that females themselves are forbidden from playing. As the play opens, Kynaston is relishing his writhing death scene in “Othello” as Desdemona.
Kynaston is the toast of the town, enjoying more and more influence with the theater’s manager, Thomas Betterton (Tyler Woods), and a secret relationship with the Duke of Buckingham (Rodney Brazil).
But the times, they are a-changing, and word spreads that across town there’s another production of “Othello,” but with a female Desdemona.
This aspiring first actress, Margaret Hughes (Michelle Swink) is not only playing Kynaston’s part, she’s mimicking his every move. The novelty catches afire, and soon audiences are clamoring to see an actress in female roles.
Things get worse for Kynaston when theater lover King Charles II (Michael Gibbons) is persuaded by his mistress, another aspiring actress named Nell Gwynn (Holly McNatt), to rewrite the law, proclaiming women must play the female roles in plays.
Now, Kynaston is out of a job, his attempts to transition to male roles are decidedly less than successful, and his entire identity is crumbling around him.
“Stage Beauty” is a smart and witty piece of work from Hatcher, and it deftly blends off-color gender-bending humor with existential quandaries. The progression of Kynaston’s character as he’s forced to abandon a particular notion of himself is convincing and thorough.
Also, the play is clearly aimed toward theater lovers, with its arsenal of references to a variety of Shakespeare plays, and more than a few acerbic remarks about the nature of the medium. (“Theater lovers don’t go to a play to enjoy themselves; they go to see what might go wrong.”)
“Stage Beauty” is in capable hands with the Carpenter Square cast, who are committed to wringing the humor out of every scene. OU senior McNatt is the breakout star of the show as Nell, in a performance that gives her ample opportunity to show off her impressive knack for physical comedy.
The show’s missteps are mostly minor, aside from an utterly ridiculous scene near the end of Act I where the actors try — and do not succeed — to enact a fight sequence in slow motion.
“Compleat Female Stage Beauty” is not for the easily offended — there were a few shocked faces at Friday night’s premiere — but it’s a wholly worthwhile production.
“Compleat Female Stage Beauty” plays now through Sept. 26 at the Stage Center performing arts facility, 400 W. Sheridan Ave. in Oklahoma City. Tickets are $18 for adults, $5 for students on the day of the performance with a current ID and subject to availability.
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buddyhollywood 2 years, 8 months ago
Thanks for the great write-up, Dusty!
-Holly McNatt